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In the season opener Thursday night, they got more than the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders would have liked to play.

Jeremy Hazelbaker launched a majestic home run to center field in the top of the 10th inning, and Pawtucket spoiled the night for a sellout crowd on opening night at the renovated PNC Field with an 8-4 extra-inning win over the RailRiders.

Hazelbaker ripped a 1-0 fastball from RailRiders reliever Jim Miller over the wall in center field to give the Red Sox the lead in what had been a nip and tuck game from the outset. A walk to Drew Sutton and back-to-back doubles by Ryan Lavarnway and Bryce Brentz, followed by a line drive homer from Justin Henry, enabled the defending Governors' Cup champions to put the game away.

Pawtucket knuckleballer Steven Wright battled command issues in the first inning, and the RailRiders capitalized. Melky Mesa bounced a single through the left side to score Corban Joseph for a 1-0 lead. When Zoilo Almonte sprinted home after a wild pitch bounced past Pawtucket catcher Ryan Lavarnway, the RailRiders fans cheered a 2-0 lead.

But it was an edge that masked an issue that had built over the early part of the game: The RailRiders were being given opportunities, and they weren't cashing in.

They left two runners on base in the first. Then, in the fourth and fifth innings, they left a combined four on base.

Pawtucket used the long ball to get back in the game in the fifth. RailRiders lefty Vidal Nuno retired the first nine batters he faced, but veteran Brandon Snyder launched a two-run home run to tie it in the fifth. Brock Holt's RBI single off reliever Sam Demel made it 3-2.

The RailRiders evened the score in the seventh. Reliever Jose De La Torre issued two of the 11 walks by Pawtucket pitchers on the night, sandwiched around a single by Cody Johnson.

Thomas Neal brought Dan Johnson home with a long fly ball to right, making it 3-3.

The RailRiders didn't score again until after the Red Sox blew the game open in the 10th. But it't not because they didn't have opportunities. Dan Johnson led off the ninth with a double, but he never moved past second. In the 10th, the RailRiders loaded the bases with nobody out against reliever Anthony Carter. But the right-hander struck out Dan Johnson, Melky Mesa and Cody Johnson to end another promising threat.

In the end, the RailRiders who stood on the bases when the game ended were three of 16 runners left stranded in the home opener.

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